The proposal of a change to the basketball line policy seems misguided and inches closer towards a lottery system. The purpose of a "first-come, first-serve" line is to ensure the fans that want to go the most, get in the games they want to attend. Having electronic sign-ups and arrival time 60 minutes prior could worsen our current system.
Lotteries are used at larger public schools like NCSU and UNC because their student bodies are too large. This is also why you can watch their home games on TV and see that their fans are consistently softer and less fanatical than the Cameron Crazies. Lotteries do not ensure the best fans get into the game, and in the future these changes could hurt the atmosphere in Cameron. Last year our attendance was much lower because our team wasn't as good as previous years, and we lost two stars-J.J. Redick and Sheldon Williams. It was not because the current policy reduces attendance. I have attended games for three years, and not once did I feel that the line policy was severely flawed. My friends at public colleges gripe over not being able to attend a basketball game because they didn't sign up in time, or didn't get picked in the lottery. Do we really want to move in this direction with Duke basketball, straying away from our beloved traditions? If this proposal is accepted, I at least hope they reserve it for non-conference games where attendance is low, because it could change our formidable atmosphere for home ACC contests.
Zachary Robbins
Trinity '08
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